Windscreen wiper



July 8, 1952 c. A. BAYES ETAL WINDSCREEN WIPER Filed July 23, 1947 Inventor: Char/es Arthur 59 25 and John Bodqy 1 $14, Allprneys Patented July 8, 1952 Buddy, Hayes, England, assignorsl to Trico Products Corporation, Buffalo, N; Y;, a. corpus ration of New York A plication July 2a, 1947, Sprial' 753,903

I Great. Br J 17 419 13 Glaims. I This invention relates to=- windscreen wipers and, more particularly; to the attachment of the wiper blade to the oscillatable actuating arm bi -Which it is carried.

An object of the invention is to provide im-.

proved means for attaching the blade. to its arm which allows the blade to assume a trailing position with respect to the arm, that is to say, at the end of each stroke when the direction of movement changes, the blademay rotate through a small angle with respect to the arm in such a manner that the inner end of the blade (i. -e. the end nearestto the oscillating shaft to which thearm is-attached) trails behind the arm, instead of remaining in line therewith as usual. Further, bya slight modification, the attachment means may be such as to allow the blade, which forthegreater part of its movement moves parallel to thearm, to turn through an angle with respect to the arm when one end of the blade meets an obstruction, for example the edge of the windscreen, towards one end of the stroke and thereafter to return the blade into aposition in which it -is again parallel to and in line with the arm when the said end is again clear of the obstruction on the reverse stroke of the blade. 7

According to the invention the attachment means comprises bearing means attached'to the blade, a cover or housing having an-entrance way through which the end of the actuating arm may be introduced, means whereby the end of the'actuating arm may be detachably connected to the cover and a spindle which is carried in said bearing means on the blade and passes through apertures in the cover, at least one of the said apertures in the cover being elongated thewiper blade, in addition to being able to rock about the spindle as axis as each end of its stroke, is also able to swing sideways out of alignment with the arm. Thebearing means on the blade may'suitably consistof a U-shaped clip which engages around and is attached to .the wiper blade and is provided at each end with upstandin gears in which the spindle is carried. In order to urge the blade into .a central position, if thi s-is desired, a springwhich bears against the sides of the. cover and against the spindle imay be disposed in the cover.

According to a modified form of construction, the spindle, instead of being. in one piece is made intwoparts and a coiled spring surrounds .-.the adjacent .ends .of thetwoparts of the spindle. (line of the parts may then be fixed to the cover in a direction transversely of the blade so that 2,. while the other part, which may screw into the coiled spring, is movable in the elongated aper: turesin the cover. By this arrangement, one end of the spindle is able. to. move in the, elongated, apertures in the cover relatively to the other n in such a manner that the blade, when it, meets an obstruction such as the edge of the win d screen, may assume a position in which it i Out of alignment with the actuating arm, b n i?- turned byv the spring to. its central position in line with the actuating arm when the obstruc: tion is removed or the. blade.- moves away rom the obstruction.

The means for detachably connecting the arm to the cover may consist ofav spring whereby a projection on the end of the arm is. normally held in engagement with a track in a ramp. or the like in the cover and can be releasedv theme.-

from by.- depressing the end of the arm agaillst the spring. The spring may he. forked atv one end which engages in a grooye in the spindle SQ as to hold the spindle in place while the other end may rest. freely on the spindle. Alternatively the spring maybe provided with an apere ture through which the spindle passes. and one end may rest. upon an abutment provided in the cover.

In order to prevent metal ta metal contact be; tween the blade clip and the cover as theblade tilts, a pad of nonemetallicmateria such as rubher orfelt may befitted around the fixed part of the spindle adj acent. thev spring in such a mannerthat. when the blade tilts, the pa ngages. the edgeoi the blade clip.

In order thatthe. inventionmay he 6 .5113? 1 derstood and readily carried into effect, two, forms of attachment. means in accordanc with the invention are illustrated, by Way of exampl in thelaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side. elevational view showin the windscreen wiper and windscreen;

Figure 2 .is a fragmentary sectional View through the blade attachment means;

'Figure3 is an end elevation of Figure- 2;

E i's-urea is a perspective view oi th housin or cover;

.Eigure is. an under plan view. showing vgiblarie centralizing spring; and

Figure .6 is a sectional view similar to. Fi ure -2 but showing anmod-ified form of construction,

Referring to the drawin s, the numera desi natesla windscreen er blade whic can be .oscillatediacross the. surface (if th Win higld 2 by .an actuatin arm comprisin an on. part 3. and an inner .channelrshaned par :5 .iS

3 pivotally connected by a pivot pin l to a mounting socket G which is fixer on the oscillating shaft 8, the arm 3 being urged towards the windscreen by a spring a.

The means for attaching the blade l to the arm 3 comprises a clip H! of U-shape which is attached to the back of the blade and a cover or housing H to which the outer end of the arm 3 may be detachably connected.

The cover H is of approximately the shape of a segment of a circle in side elevation and, in plan, tapers from front to back, its internal width at the narrowest part being slightly greater than the width of the end of the arm 3. The cover i I is hollow and open at its under side and is provided on the inside with a curved ramp !2 which projects towards the open side of the cover. The ramp is cut away on one side so as to form a curved track 13 which is bounded at one end by the inside of the cover and at the opposite end by the edge of the cutaway portion of the ramp.

The end of the actuating arm 3 is curved as shown at l t to conform to the curvature of the ramp and the track therein and is provided with a projection l5 which can be engaged with the track !3 by passing the end of the arm through a slot it which is formed in the curved side of the cover until the projection engages in the track. The slot It is of a sufiicient depth to allow the arm to swing up and down, i. e. towardsand away from the underside of thecover, whereby the projection moves along the track [3 in one direction or the other.

The projection I5 is normally held in engagement with the track by means of a Spring 1'! which extends across the inside of the cover.. The ends of the spring are bent downwardly and are supported on a spind1e IS which extends across the cover in proximity to its open side and passes through two apertures in the cover and projects a short distance from the cover at each end. The spindle is provided near one end at a point inside the cover at its narrower end with a groove 19 with which one of the downwardly bent ends of the spring engages, this end being forked for the purpose, while the other downwardly bent end of the spring rests freely on the opposite end of the spindle.

At the narrower end of the cover which adjoins the grooved end of the spindle, the aperture through which the spindle passes is of approximately the same diameter as the spindle with sufficient clearance to. permit lateral swinging of the blade therebeneath, while. at the opposite wider end of the cover the aperture is in the form of an elongated slot 20 which extends across the width of the cover. The projecting ends of the spindle l8are carried in cars 2| which project at each end from the clip H) on the blade.

It will thus be seen'that the actuating arm can readily be attached by inserting its curved end through the slot in the cover and depressing the spring until th projection engages in the track and can be easily detached vby a reverseoperation. The angle (when viewed from the side) between the edge of the blade and the actuating arm can vary since the projection on the arm can move along the track to permit such movement. The blade also able to rock sideways about the spin: dle as axis. Further, if, as will be usual, the cover and clap are fitted centrally onthe blade, with the narrower end of the cover on the outside, the blade, owing to friction with the windscreen, will swing about this end at each change in its direction of movement and take up a trailing position with respect to the arm, since the inner end of the spindle can move from side to side in the slot in the cover.

If such trailing of the blade is not desired, a spring 22 of the form shown in Figure 5 may be fitted around the inside of the cover so as to urge the blade into a central position in which it is in line with the actuating arm but to allow the blade to pivot if it should encounter an obstruction. This spring may be apertured to receive the spindle. I

The sideways tilt of the blade is limited by the distance between the top of the blade clip and the lower edge of the cover and may be varied as desired.

v A piece of rubber 23 or like material may be interposed between the blade clip and the cover, so as to prevent metal to metal contact and consequent noise as the blade tilts from side to side on changes in its direction of movement.

Referring now to the form of construction il.- lustrated in Figure 6, the spindle, instead of being in one piece is made in two parts 24 and 25 and a coiled spring 26 surrounds the adjacent ends of the two parts of the spindle. The part 24 may be fixed to the cover while the part 25 is movable in the elongated slot as in the form shown in Figures 1 and 2. The part 25 is provided at its inner end with a screw thread 29 which screws into the coiled spring 26 and is provided at its outer end with a notch 30 so that it can be unscrewed for the'purpose of assembling, anddisassembling. By this arrangement the end 250i the spindle is able to move inthe elongated slot in the cover relatively to the outer end in such a manner that the blade assumes a position in which it is inclined to the actuating arm while the spring tends to return the blade to its central position in which it is in line with the actuating arm.

In Figure 6, the spring 21 which corresponds to the spring I! of Figures 1 and 2, instead of being supported on the spindle in the manner indicated in these figures, is provided with an aperture through which the spindle passes and one end rests on an abutment 28 provided in thecov-er while the other end lies below the spring.

Weclaim:

1. Means for attaching, a windscreen wiper blade to its actuating arm, comprising a hollow cover having an entranceway to receive the end of the actuating arm, means for detachablycom necting the "end of the actuating arm to said cover, bearing means attached tothe blade extending lengthwise thereof, and a spindle en'- gaged in said bearing means and passing through the end walls of the cover to hingedly connect the cover to the blade for relative rocking movement, said cover having a'transverselyelongated aperture in one end wall through which one'end of said spindle passes for'permitting saidblade to swing out of alignment with said actuating arm, the opposite end'of the spindlehaving sure 'ficientclearance where it passes through the op: posite end wall of the cover to enable such swing-j ing' movement of the blade. i i :7

2. Means for attaching a windscreen wiper blade to its actuating armcomp-rising aicover; an entranceway in said cover to receive the end of the actuating arm, means for detachably connecting the,' end of the actuating arm to s'aid'cover',

bearing means attached to the blade, af spind1e engaged in said bearing means to'hingedly'com heat the cover-to the, blade-for permitting-the apes-,1 vs:

blade to: rock about said spindle, a transversely elongated; aperture in-- said cover through one 'endiofi said spindle passes" for permitting: said blade to swing out'iofalignment with said actuat ing arm, the opposite end of the spindle having suflicientclearancewhere it passes through the opposite end: wall of the: cover to enable such swingingmo'vement of the blade, and a springdisposed in said cover for urging saidiblade inta a'cen'tralised position in alignment with said: ac tuatin'g arm. v v

'3. Means for attaching a windscreen wiperblade: to its actuating arm comprising a. cover, anlentrancewa-y in said cover to receive'the end of the 'actu'ating arm, means' for detachably connecting the end of the actuating arm to said cover; bearingmeans attached to the blade, normally aligned pivot pins engaged in said bearing means and extending into said-cover to hingedly connect the cover to the blade for permitting the blade to rock about said pivot pins, a. transversely elongated aperture in said cover through which one of said pivot pins passes for permitting the blade to swing'out of alignment with the actuating armand a coiled spring. surrounding the adjacent; ends of said pins inside .the. cover for urgiing. the blade. into a. centralised position in. alignment with-the actuatingarm. l

.4 ;Means. for attaching. a windscreen wiper blade to. itsz'actuating arm comprising a cover; an entranceway in said. cover to receive the; end. of the actuating arm, means for detachably connecting the end of the actuating arm to said cover, bearing means attached to the blade, a pivot pin fixed to and extending within said cover and engaged in one of said bearing means, a second pivot pin engaged in the other of said bearing means, both of said pins being in substantial alignment with each other, a transversely elongated aperture in said cover through which said second pivot pin passes and a coil spring surrounding adjacent ends of said pins.

5. Attachment means as claimed in claim 4, in which said second pivot pin is screw-threaded and screws into said coil spring.

6. Means for attaching a windscreen wiper blade to its actuating arm, comprising a hollow cover having an entranceway to receive the end of the actuating arm, means for 'detachably connecting the end of said arm to said cover havin upstanding a clip attached to said blade apertured ears spaced longitudinally of the blade and disposed adjacent the opposite ends of said cover, a spindle engaged in said ears and, passing through apertures in the end walls of said cover with one aperture elongated to receive one end of said spindle transversely to enable the blade swinging laterally from beneath the cover, and the opposite end of said spindle being loosely mounted to its respective ear to permit said swing- 7. Means for attaching a windscreen wiper blade to its actuating arm comprising a cover, an entranceway in said cover to receive the end of the actuating arm, means for detachably connecting the end of said arm to said cover, a clip attached to said blade, apertured ears upstanding from said clip, aligned pivot pins engaged in said ears and extending into said cover, a transversely elongated aperture in said cover, through which one of said pins passes and a coil spring surrounding the adjacent ends of said pins inside said cover.

-8. Means for attaching a windscreen wiper blade to its actuating arm, comprising a hollow 6-. cover having: anJentranceway to: receive the end of the actuating: arm, bearing means attached to. the blade, a. spindlez engaged said bearing means and! passing: longitudinally oi theiblad'ethrough aperturesin the end wallsofisaidl cover for permitting the blade to rock about said spine me, one wall aperture being-transversely clone gated for permitting said blade to swing out of alignment with said actuating arm, and the=other wall apertured to loosely'm'ount the opposite. end

of said'spindle, and a pad of: resilient -material interposed between saidblade: and: said cover to prevent: metal to metal. contact when the blade rocks: about saidspi ndle.

9; Means for attaching a. windscreen wiper blade-to: its actuating arm. comprising a cover; an entranceway in said cover to. receive the endof' the. actuating arm, means for detachablyconnectingt the: end. of said arm to said cover,- bearing; means attached to said blade, pivot pins longitudinal-ly aligned and engaged in said bearing means-and extending into said. cover, a trans verselyelongated': aperture in said cover through: which one oi said pivot pi-ns extends, a coil spring surrounding the adjacent ends or said pivot pins inside said cover and a pad-of resilient: material interposed between said blade and said-cover to prevent. metal to metal contact when-the blade rocks, i

10. Means for attaching a windscreen: wiper blade to its actuating arm comprising a cover, an: entranceway in said cover to: receive theendof said actuating arm, means for detachably connecting the end of said arm to said cover, hearing means attached to said blade, pivot pins longitudinally aligned and engaged in said bearing means and extending into said cover, a transversely elongated aperture in said cover through which one of said pivot pins passes, a coil spring surrounding the adjacent ends of said pins, and a pad of resilient material disposed around one of said pins.

11. Means for attaching a windscreen wiper blade to its actuating arm, comprising a hollow cover having an entranceway to receive the end of said actuating arm, a projection on the end of said arm, a recess in said cover in which said projection may engage, bearing means attached to said blade, a spindle engaged in said bearing means and passing longitudinally of the blade through apertures in the end walls of said cover, on wall aperture being transversely elongated to enable the blade swinging laterally from beneath the cover, and a fiat spring anchored to said spindle at one end and resiliently supported at its other end and adapted to hold said arm projection in said recess.

12. Means for attaching a windscreen wiper blade to its actuating arm comprising a cover, an entranceway in said cover to receive the end of said actuating arm, a projection on the end of said arm, arecess in said cover in which said projection may engage, bearing means attached to said blade, aligned pivot pins engaged in said bearing means and extending into said cover, a coil spring in said cover surrounding the adjacent ends of said pins, a transversely elongated aperture in said cover through which one of said pins passes, and a spring adapted to hold said arm projection'in said recess.

13. Attachment means as claimed in claim 11, in which said spring is forked at one end, and the spindle is provided with a groove with which said forked end of the spring engages. I

14. Attachment means as claimed in claim 12,

in. which said spring is provided with an aperture through which one of said pivot pins passes. 15. Attachment means as claimed in'claim 12,

in which said spring is provided with an aperture entranceway in said cover to receive the end of.

the actuating arm, bearing means attached to the blade, and a spindle extending lengthwise of the blade and engaged with said bearing means, said cover having spaced bearings through which the spindle passes to hingedly connect the cover to the blade for rocking laterally about an axis Ion-.- gitudinal of the blade, one cover bearing being extended transversely to enable pivotal move ment of the blade about an axis normal to the surface being wiped for permitting said blade to swing outof alignment with said actuating arm,- and the opposite cover bearing being apertured to loosely mount its respective end of said spindle to permit said swinging.

1'7. A windscreen wiping blade having longitudinally spaced bearings on its back, and an arm attaching member having spaced bearings cooperating with the first bearings to provide a rockable support for the blade beneath the arm attaching member, one of the first bearings being transversely elongated to enable'its cooperating bearing to shift laterally therein and the other of the first bearings loosely mounting its cooperating bearing to permit the blade to swing out of alignment with an attached actuating arm.

18. A windscreen wiping bladerhaving longitudinally spaced bearings on its back, a spindle mounted in the bearings, and an arm attaching member having spaced bearing portions through which the spindle extends to provide arockable support for the blade, one, of the bearing portions being transversely elongated to enable the blade swinging laterally of and beneath the arm attaching member, while the other of said bearing portions has sufiicient clearance to permit such swinging.

- CHARLES ARTHUR BAYES.

JOHN BODDY.

REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the file of this patent: a UNITED STATES PATENTS 

